Trailer truck tank construction



Mrch 28, 1933. Q N GREDELL 1,902,849

TRAILER TRUCK TANK CONSTRUCTION Filed July 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN VEN TOR A TTORNE Y March 28, 1933. o N. GREDELI.. 1,902,849

TRAILER TRUCK TANK CONSTRUCTION l File'd July s, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2 HTI II I w IIIIIII'IIIIIII'II, I IIIIIIII'IIII: IIII III II III'IIIIIIIIIIIHIIIHIIII II II II 'IIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII' I'IIIIII |II I IIIIIIIIIl II I I I II I" II IIIIIIIIIIIHI I I I I I I I I I I l III IIIII n III I ATTORNEY Patented Mau'. 28, 1933 UNITED s'rA-'r-I-:s PATENT; oFl-lcrzl OTTO N. GREDELL, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR T STANDARD STEEL WORKS,

OF NORTE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI TRAILER TRUCK. TANK CONSTRUCTION Application med Jnly I8,

M invention relates to tanks, and more particularly to trailer tanks for partial su port by a traction vehicle, the principalo jects of the invention being to lower the cen- 5 ter of gravity of a trailer tank, and to supportthe front end of a trailing tank on the rear end of a truck chassisA without unduly elevating the tank.

F urther' objects of my invention are to strengthen the front end of a tank having a vertical diameter reduced for mounting .the same on a truck chassis, and to increase the liquid-carrying capacity of a tank having a portion of reduced diameter.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I have provided improved details of structure, thel preferred lforms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a truck chassis and a trailer truck tank constructed in accordance with my invention and having its` front end mounted on the chassis.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a lower edge of a reduced portion of the tank and a supporting sill, illustrating means for strengthening the tank. j

Fig. 4 1s a longitudinal central section of trailer.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section on the line 5--5, Fig. 4c.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section ofthe lower edge of the front end of a modified form of tank, illustrating the skirt portion as forming an additional container space.

Referring in detail to the drawings:

1 designates an automobile vehicle such as a truck chassis including a frame comprising longitudinal horizontal sills 2, and wheels 3.

4 designates a trailer truck comprising'a frame including longitudinal channels or sills 5 having front portions 6 upwardly ofset intermediately the ends of .the sills, and wheels 7 adapted to support the rear portions of the sills substantially in alignment withI the sillsof the chassis 1.

The'oiisetffront portions of the trailer sills are ladapted to rest on the chassis, and means the front and a portion of the rear end of thel 1929. Serial No. 376,783.

such as'an ordinaryl turntable device 8 is'pro'.- vided for supporting the front end of a tank 9 on the chassis.l

The tank 9 is constructed of sheet metal conformably tothe shape of the frame, and includes a front section 10 having less vertical diameter than the rear portion, the bottom 11 of the front section being upwardly offset from the bottom line of the rear portion so that it may rest on the offset front ends of the trailer sills.

The rear or normal section of the tank may be mounted in any ap roved fashion on the relatively low portion o? the trailer frame.

The front elevated section of the tank is preferably supported by cross plates or angle bars 12 fixed to vertical angles 13 secured to the sills as by rivets 14 and extending upwardly there rom.

The side walls 1'5 of the tank section 10 preferably extend downwardly and arcuately below the bottom to form wings or depending wall portions 16 and the bottom is provided with edge flanges 17 engaging the wings. The si e walls may be secured to the bottom by any suitable means, including welds ind1cated at 18.

The front tank section projectin laterally beyond the sills, may then be sta ilized in sill-supported position by gusset-like lplates 19 having outer arcuate edges 20 engaging the inner surfaces of the depending wall por tions, inner vertical edges 21 adjacent the sills, and upper horizontal edges 22 engaging the bottom of the tank section.

The edges may be welded im the bottom and wings 16 as indicated at 23.

The. provision of depending wings i6 of the tank section 10 further promotes bracing and stabilizing of the section,-since the 9o depending flanges 17 may be formed on the edges of the bottom to engage the wings; and the welds 18 may be applied to the joint of the horizontal bottom plate with the side walls of the section, and built up in the recess formed by downbending of the bottom ianges, as clearly indicated in Fig. 3.

The "lower edges of the depending winglike portions 16 are provided with inwardly extending flanges 25 engaging the lower 10o edges of the plates 19 and welded thereto, the wings 16 being thus more rigidly connected with the Abottom of the tank section 10. t

The tank may be divided into a plurallty of compartments, and located preferably in front of the oil-setting portion 26 of the bot tom'ofthe tank, is a transverse partition 27 forming a relatively `.small compartment 28 at the front end of the tank section 10, and a compartment 29 including a portion of the normal section of the tank.

A discharge conduit 30 is connected with a sump 31 formed in the bottom of the tank section 10 for draining liquid from the compartment 28. Means such as cross members 32 may be adapted for supporting the pipe including offset portions `33 of the conduit extending rearwardly along the trailer toward dispensing apparatus (not shown).

Inlets 34 and 35 are provided for introducing liquids to the several compartments.

In the modified form of tank section 10, illustrated in Fig. 6, the bottom 36 has a reduced width, and depending edge flanges 37 are extended downwardly to the level of the depending wings 16 of the side walls, the iianges and wings thus being spaced, and the inwardly extending flanges of the side wall wings are extended across the spacing to the flanges to form lower walls 38 or bottoms of chamber-like recesses or troughs 39 communicating with the tank section.

Gusset-like plates 40 similar to the plates 19 have their outer edges welded ,to the Wings, inner vertical edges welded to the depending bottom llanges 37, and lower horizontal edges engaging the trough bottoms 38. The plates thus form partitions in the troughs, and are provided with intermediate openings 41 and lower edge openings 42 Jfor movement of liquid therethrough.

The upper edges of the plates lie in the l plane of the bottom- 11, and the welding of the vertical edges of the plates to the lianges 37 and wings 16 thus effects a rigid connection between the bottom and the side walls.

Attention is recalled to the plates 19, which as illustrated in Fig. 3 may have cutaway portions forming apertures 43 for accommodating the plates to the depending bottom flanges 17 and to permit ilow of fluid, for example gas or air past the plates.

The front end of the tank may be formed arcuately, as illustrated in Fig. 5, in which case the plates project inwardly toward the frame but do not engage sills.

The wings form a skirt depending from the tank section l0 around the lower edge thereof. y

Inapparatus constructed as described, the normal and relatively large section of the tank is supported at a relatively low elevation on the two-wheeled running gear of the trailer, while the reduced front end of the tank with its offset bottom is supported on the rear end of the traction vehicle, thus of the tank presents a symmetrical appearance, its top extending rectilinearly from the front end to the rear end.

rlhe depending wings of the side walls of the reduced section improve the appearance of the tank, and also provide means for anchoring the side walls to the trailer frame through the plates 19. These plates further serve as brackets having inner vertical edges secured to the trailer frame sills, and upper portions engaged with the bottom of the tank section and with the wings.

'Ihe depending wings further enable the provision of additional container space, namelythe troughs along the edges of the tank section. 1

When the modiiiedform of skirt is employed to provide a depending` hollow skirt or container portion, the partitions will be installed in such positions, for example rearwardly of the offset, as to permit drainage of liquid from the depending troughs into the rear section of the tank.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described,

a frame including horizontal longitudinal sills having upwardly oil'set front portions, and a tank mounted on said frame including a reduced front end portion having depending edge flanges extending below said up' wardly offset front portions of the sills to house said portions, and stabilizing means comprising plates lixed to said flanges.

2.l In a device of the character described, a frame including horizontal longitudinal sills having upwardly offset front portions, and a tank mounted on said frame including a reduced front end portion having depending edge flanges, and means connecting said edge lianges with the frame. y 3. In a device of the character described, a frame including horizontal longitudinal sills having upwardly offset front portions, and a tank mounted on said frame including a reduced front end portion having a bottom and downwardly extending side walls formmg a depending skirt, and means including plates secured to said skirt and having edges fixed respectively to the frame and tothe bottom for stabilizing the tank.

4. In a device of the character described, a frame including an upwardly olsetufront portion, and a tank mounted on said frame including an upwardly offset front end por tion having a bottom Iand side walls extend-` ing arcuately below the bottom to form a depending skirt, said bottom having downwardly extending edge flanges, and means connecting the side wall flanges with the bottom. e

5. In a device of the character described including a supporting frame, a tank on said frame including a portion projecting beyond the frame having a bottom wall and having y a rounded side wall extended downwardly below the bottom to form a skirt, means for securing thev tank to the frame, and a plate engaged with the bottom of the tank to brace said skirt.

6. In a device of the character described including parallel sills, a tank mounted on the sills and having a substantially llat bottom portion projecting `outwardly from said sills, a skirt having an inbent lower end depending from the tank in spaced relation with said sills, and a plate engaging said bottom having an outer edge engaging said skirt and a lower edge engaging said inbent lower end thereof.

7. In a trailer of the character described,

a frame including horizontal sills having upwardly offset front portions, a tank mounted on said frame having an upwardly oifset front end portion supported on the offset front portions o'f the sills, anda skirt depending below the upwardly oiset portion of the tank to enclose said upwardly oiset portions vof the sills.

8. In a trailer of the character' described, a frame including .horizontal sills having upwardly offset front portions, a tank of elliptical cross section mounted on said. sills and having an upwardly offset portion supported on the offset front portions of the sills, and a skirt depending below the offset front portion and conforming to the shape of said elliptical section of the tank for enclosing said upwardly offset portions of the sllls.

In testimony whereof I -ax my signature.

OTTO N. GREDELL. 

